Yiddish papers urge readers to reject casinos

Saturday

Oct 26, 2013 at 2:00 AM

An article in an Orthodox Jewish publication describing "an intense campaign" to get tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews to vote against the legalization of non-Indian casinos on Nov. 5 had casino proponents scrambling Friday.

BY STEVE ISRAEL

An article in an Orthodox Jewish publication describing "an intense campaign" to get tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews to vote against the legalization of non-Indian casinos on Nov. 5 had casino proponents scrambling Friday.

The story, in Yeshiva World.Com, describes articles in three Yiddish newspapers about "the ills resulting from the casinos, specifically to the Catskills region of Sullivan County."

Referring to the newspapers Der Yid and Der Blatt, the article says:

"They cite an increase in violent crimes and gambling addictions, among other troubles resulting from turning the area into a gambling region."

It continued:

"Di Tzeitung, another widely-read newspaper among Yiddish speakers, had an ... editorial calling on the community to vote 'No.'"

The Yeshiva World article, which appeared online Friday, initially threw a curve into the pro-casino campaign that had, in recent days, been gaining momentum.

"I hope it won't be too much of a negative going forward," said Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Scott Samuelson.

But when longtime casino champion and Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini read the story, he started calling every Hasidic leader he's come to know over the years.

"That paper doesn't represent the Satmar (Hasidic) community," said Cellini, who noted he was upset when he first saw the article.

Although the man behind Yeshiva World.Com couldn't be reached Friday, one of the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox community that vacations in Sullivan County agreed.

"He (the Yeshiva World writer) is not affiliated with anybody. He's not even Hasidic," said Rabbi Moishe Indig, who helped bring at least one New York City mayoral candidate to Sullivan this summer and noted that one "article" was actually an advertisement.

Then Indig offered his community's support for the referendum — support that was similar to sentiments from another Hasidic leader, David Weiss, who owns the former Kutsher's Sports Academy and said he was "fully supporting" the referendum.

"Our community is always here to support whatever ... is the benefit of our state and county," Indig said in an email.

"That is why we are not against the proposal to authorize casino gaming, because it is in (favor) of our great Sullivan County."